Installation comprising a wave power apparatus and a support structure therefor

ABSTRACT

A wave power apparatus at least a part of which is permanently fixed to the sea floor or to ground, i.e. such as to a breakwater, a mole, a pier, a jetty, a cliff or an oil rig. The wave power apparatus ( 302 ) includes a plurality of rotationally supported arms ( 322 ), each of which carries a float ( 324 ) at its free end, so that a translational movement of the float caused by a wave results in rotation of the arm. The apparatus comprises power conversion means for converting power transmitted from the wave to the arms into electric power, e.g. a hydraulic system, in which a hydraulic fluid is displaced by the movement of the arms ( 322 ) to drive one or more hydraulic motors. The plurality of apparatus is arranged in a row such that a wave passing the row of arms causes the arms to successively pivot with a mutual phase shift. Thereby, an even power output may be achieved, and the need for frequency converters may be reduced or eliminated. Preferably, each arm is connected to a hydraulic cylinder ( 328 ) of the hydraulic system, whereby a plurality of arms feed hydraulic medium into the hydraulic motor or motors through common hydraulic conduits.

This application is the National Phase of International applicationPCT/DK2006/000206 filed on Apr. 12, 2006 which claims priority under 35U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/671,061 filed onApr. 14, 2005 and under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) to Patent Application No.06388034.0 filed in Europe on Apr. 14, 2005. Both of these priorapplications are hereby expressly incorporated by reference into thepresent application.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an installation comprising a wave powerapparatus for converting power of sea or ocean waves into useful energy,such as electricity. The installation according to the inventionspecifically aims at providing a system, which can be convenientlyerected, and in which an even power output may be achieved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that sea waves appear to constitute a nearly unlimitedresource of energy which, if exploited efficiently, may possibly solve asignificant proportion of the world's energy problems. However, despiteof many attempts to exploit sea-wave energy, no commercially successfulsystem for converting sea wave energy into electrical power has beendevised so far.

In general, three different types of wave power apparatuses have beenproposed in the prior art. One such apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 6,476,511, the apparatus comprising a plurality of buoyantcylindrical body members connected together at their ends to form anarticulated chain-like structure. Each pair of adjacent cylindricalmembers is connected to each other by a coupling member, which permitsrelative rotational movement of the cylindrical members about atransverse axis. Adjacent coupling members may permit relative rotationabout mutually orthogonal transverse axes. Each coupling member isprovided with elements, such as a set of hydraulic rams, which resistand extract power from the relative rotational movement of the bodymembers. The apparatus floats freely in the sea surface and is moored tothe sea floor.

A second type of wave power apparatus comprises one or more surfacefloats capable of moving along the surface of the sea under the actionof waves, and a reference member, which is fully submerged in the sea ata certain depth, and which is substantially unaffected by the waves, cf.for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,894. The movement of the float in thesurface of the sea causes the displacement of a hydraulic fluid in ahydraulic system comprising hydraulic devices which interconnect thesurface float or floats and the reference member, whereby useful energymay be extracted from the hydraulic system. It will be appreciated thatthis apparatus is also moored to the sea floor.

Finally, a third type of wave power apparatus is one having one or morearms supported by a supporting structure carrying one or more floatswhich are caused to move by the waves. The energy of moving wavestransmitted into the arms and may be conveyed into a hydraulic system,as in the system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,382, or into a mechanical systemof shafts which, via a mechanical transmission system, drive one or moreelectric generators for the production of electricity, as in the systemof WO 01/92644.

The present invention is generally concerned with the third type of wavepower apparatuses mentioned above. It is an object of preferredembodiments of the invention to provide an installation, which may beconveniently and inexpensively erected. It is a further object ofpreferred embodiments to provide an installation with a wave powerapparatus, which allows for an even power output of power conversionmeans of the apparatus, i.e. a power output which is substantiallyconstant over time. It is a further object of preferred embodiments toprovide a system which reduces or eliminates the need for frequencyconverters. It is a further object of preferred embodiments to provide awave power apparatus which may conveniently be taken out of operation,e.g. to prevent formation of ice on various parts of the apparatusduring operation. It is a still further object of preferred embodimentsof the invention to provide an apparatus, which allows for convenientmaintenance access to arms and floats, most preferably to allow formaintenance access of individual arms and floats in systems comprising aplurality of arms, each provided with a float. It is a still furtherobject of preferred embodiments to provide an apparatus which mayconveniently be conveyed from an on-shore production facility to theoperational site at the open sea. Yet another object of the presentinvention is to provide a wave power apparatus which can be attached toan existing on-shore or off-shore structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an installation comprising a wave powerapparatus comprising a plurality of arms, each of which is rotationallysupported at one end by a shaft, and wherein each arm carries a float atits other end, which is opposite to the supported end, so that atranslational movement of the float caused by a wave results in rotationof the arm around the shaft, the apparatus comprising power conversionmeans for converting power transmitted from the wave to the arms intoelectric power, the plurality of arms being arranged in a row such thata wave passing the row of arms causes the arms to successively pivotaround the shaft, the arms being arranged at mutual distances, so thatthe passage of the wave causes the arms to pivot with a mutual phaseshift, and wherein the arms and the power conversion means are supportedby a support structure, which is permanently fixed to the sea floor orto ground.

The support structure may comprise an existing or pre-erected structure,such as a naturally created formation, such as ground or cliffformation, or such as a mole, breakwater, pier or jetty, or it maycomprise an offshore structure originally prepared for a differentpurpose, such as an oil or gas exploration facility, such as an oil rig.

Thanks to the thus preformed support structure, the wave power apparatusmay be inexpensively installed. On-shore supports such as moles,breakwaters etc. bring about the further benefit that the wave powerapparatus may be inexpensively maintained, as maintenance personnel andequipment can conveniently be transported to the apparatus using groundtransportation means. Moreover, surveillance and operation optimizationis facilitated, as there is no need to move personnel to an offshorefacility.

Each arm may extend in (or define) a longitudinal direction, with thesupport structure extending in a direction transversely to thelongitudinal direction. This allows the arms to extend away from thesupport structure to permit the arms to be lifted out of the ocean, e.g.in the case of abnormal weather and/or wave conditions. To facilitateaccess to the arms, each arm may be individually supported by thesupport structure, with the arms being arranged at mutual distancesalong the support structure.

The support structure may include a portion above the sea surface, inwhich case each arm is preferably supported by that portion of thesupport structure, which is above the sea surface.

The shaft or shafts supporting each arm preferably form part of abearing, each arm being preferably supported by at least one bearing,which is secured to the support structure. Each arm may be supported bya truss structure, which is secured to the support structure.

As noted above, each arm preferably extends longitudinally away from thesupport structure, so that each arm is at least pivotable to ahorizontal position. Hence, each arm may be lifted out of the oceansurface in case of abnormal weather conditions and/or abnormal waveconditions. In preferred embodiments, the arms may be lifted to aposition higher than horizontal, i.e. a position in which the tip ofeach arm is at a higher level than the pivot axis of the arm.

In order to ensure reliable operation at various tides, the rotationalsupport of each arm may allow an angular rotation of the arm to at least−30° in relation to horizontal, preferably from horizontal. Accordingly,the apparatus may compensate for water levels varying within at leastthe length of the arm multiplied by sin(30°), i.e. half of the length ofthe arm. For example, in case of an arm length of 10 m, the rotationalsupport may compensate for tide-caused variation of water level of 5 m.To compensate for further variations, the rotational support of each armmay allow an angular rotation of the arm to at least −45°.

With the aim of efficiently protecting the waver power apparatus fromdamages due to e.g. stormy conditions or icing as described below, therotational support of each arm may allow an angular rotation of the armto at least +100 in relation to horizontal, i.e. to lift the float outof the sea, where it may be locked in a position above the sea or oceansurface. Each arm may e.g. be rotated to at least +15° or at least +20°in relation to horizontal.

The arms are preferably arranged at mutual distances, so that at alltimes at least two of the arms simultaneously deliver a power contributeto the power conversion means. The power conversion means preferablycomprise a hydraulic actuator associated with each arm, the hydraulicactuators feeding a hydraulic medium into at least one hydraulic motorvia shared hydraulic conduits. Accordingly, an even power output of thepower conversion means may be achieved. This is in particular the casein embodiments of the apparatus comprising a large number of arms,floats and actuators, e.g. 60, as the sum of the power contributes ofthe individual actuators is essentially constant over time. Possiblepressure ripples on the pressure side of the hydraulic motor may beessentially eliminated by means of a spike suppression device which isknown per se, the spike suppression device being arranged in fluidcommunication with the shared hydraulic conduits. Preferably, the sum ofall power contributes is essentially constant at a certain wave climate,i.e. wave height and wave frequency. The hydraulic motor is preferably ahydraulic motor with variable displacement volume per revolution.Changes in the wave climate may be compensated by means of a controlcircuit which controls the displacement volume per revolution of themotor in order to keep the rpm of the motor essentially constant. Inorder to generate alternating current at a given frequency withoututilizing a frequency converter, the rpm of the motor should becontrollable within +/−0.1-0.2%. In case a different type of hydraulicmotor is applied or in case the rpm is not controlled exactly, afrequency controller may be employed for fine-adjustment of thefrequency of the AC current generated.

In preferred embodiments, the apparatus of the present inventioncomprises at least 5 arms, such as at least 20 arms, preferably at least40 arms, preferably 50-80 arms, such as 55-65 arms, e.g. 60 arms. Thearms of the apparatus are preferably distributed, such that there isprovided at least five arms, preferably at least 10 arms, per wavelengthof the ocean waves. At the open sea, the wave length of the ocean wavesis typically 50-300 m, such as 50-200 m. In protected waters, the wavelength of waves is typically 5-50 m.

In preferred embodiments, the apparatus spans over at least two wavelengths. This brings about the possibility to arrange a row of arms andfloats at a relatively large angle with respect to the wave heading,e.g. at +/−60°, as the wave length projected onto the orientation of therow of floats spans over at least 2×cos(60°) wavelengths, i.e. at leastone wavelength, whereby it is ensured that a power contribute isdelivered at all times.

The plurality of arms are preferably arranged in one or more rows, e.g.in a star, V or hexagon formation as disclosed in WO 01/92644. In orderto efficiently exploit the wave energy, the row of arms is preferablyoriented such with respect to the wave heading that the row forms anangle of within +/−60° with respect to the wave heading.

It has been found that the efficiency of the apparatus according to theinvention increases with increasing buoyancy of the float with regard toits dry weight. Accordingly, in preferred embodiments of the invention,the buoyancy of the float is at least 10 times its dry weight, such asat least 20, 30 or 50 times, preferably 20-40 times. For example, thedry weight of a float is typically 100 kg or less pr. meter cube ofbuoyancy, the buoyancy of salt water being typically approximately 1050kg/m³. A float is typically made from hard low weight foam materials orbalsa wood, which are coated with a composite, such as reinforced glassfiber composites or a combination of glass fiber and carbon fibercomposites. Alternatively, a float may be made from a sandwich layer ofreinforced fiber materiel with hard foam being provided in the middle ofthe sandwich and at the bottom and at the top of the float, with thefoam layers being separated by a honeycomb structure of reinforced fibermaterials.

Efficiency also increases with increasing diameter of the float relativeto its height. Preferably, the diameter of the float is at least 5 timesits height, such as at least 7 times, such as at least 10 times, or 5-20times. In preferred embodiments, the float has an essentially circularcross-section, and in order to improve fluid dynamical properties of thefloat, it may have a rounded edge portion, which acts as a streamlining.

Each float may define a convex bottom surface, preferably adouble-convex surface i.e. convex in two transverse planes, having e.g.a semi-spherical shape. For applications, in which low weight of thefloat is not crucial, or in which a relatively high weight of the floatis desirable, the float may be made from a material having a density ofat least 1000 kg/m³, such as concrete, such as reinforced orpre-stressed concrete. Concrete is a widely used material, which isavailable at low cost in all regions of the world, and the float of thewave power apparatus may be inexpensively moulded from concrete.

The power conversion means preferably comprise a hydraulic drivingsystem with a hydraulically driven motor. For example, each arm may beconnected to the hydraulic driving system by means of at least oneactuator which causes a hydraulic medium of the hydraulic driving systemto be displaced into a hydraulic motor, the actuator(s) being arrangedto displace the hydraulic medium to the motor via hydraulic conduits. Incase of several arms and several actuators, the hydraulic medium ispreferably displaced to the motor via shared hydraulic conduits. Inother words, several hydraulic actuators may feed hydraulic medium intoone single hydraulic motor via a shared system of hydraulic conduits.Most preferably, the hydraulic medium is not accumulated in a hydraulicstorage tank for accumulating hydraulic medium under pressure, fromwhich pressure is released to the motor. Accordingly, the actuators feedhydraulic medium directly into the hydraulic motor. However, asdiscussed below, a battery of hydraulic accumulators may advantageouslybe applied for an entirely different purpose, i.e. for forcing a floatinto a wave near a wave trough. As in preferred embodiments, a pluralityof actuators simultaneously transmit power to the motor, there is noneed for a hydraulic storage tank, as the motor will be capable ofrunning at a substantially constant speed and at a substantiallyconstant power input thanks to the delivery of power in the sharedhydraulic system from a plurality of actuators at a time.

It should be understood that there may be foreseen more than one singlehydraulic motor. Preferably, two, three or more motors may be arrangedin parallel at the end of the shared hydraulic conduit. Thus, the powerdelivered through the shared hydraulic conduit may drive several motors.If, for example the hydraulic driving system produces 4 MW, eight motorsdelivering 500 kW each may be coupled in parallel at the sharedhydraulic conduit. The motors may deliver the same nominal power output,or they may deliver different nominal power outputs. For example, onemotor may deliver 400 kW, one may deliver 500 kW, etc.

All hydraulic motors may also be linked through the same through-goingshaft, which drives at least one common electric generator, or allhydraulic motors may drive one cog wheel which drives at least onecommon electric generator

In order to allow the hydraulic system to force the arm(s) and float(s)in any desired direction, each actuator may comprise a double-actingcylinder which may be used to extract energy from the arm into thehydraulic system and to feed energy from the hydraulic system into thearm, e.g. to drive the float into a wave near a wave trough as explainedin detail below in connection with the hydraulic accumulators.

In preferred embodiments, the apparatus comprises means for forcing thefloat(s) into the waves at wave troughs, so as to increase the verticaldistance traveled by the float to increase the power output in a wavecycle. Such means may e.g. comprise one or more hydraulic accumulatorsfor intermittently storing energy in the hydraulic driving system. Theenergy stored in the hydraulic accumulators may advantageously bederived from the release of potential energy as the float is taken outof the water a wave crest. In other words, as a float moves from asubmerged position in a wave near a wave crest to a position abovewater, potential energy is released. This energy may be accumulated inthe accumulator or in a battery of accumulators, wherein differentaccumulators are charged at different pressures, e.g. at pressure stepsaccording to the number of accumulators. In embodiments incorporatingsuch hydraulic accumulators, the hydraulic driving system may becontrollable to release the energy stored in the accumulator(s), when afloat is passed by a wave trough, so as to drive the float carried bythe arm into the wave. To improve the efficiency of the accumulatorsystem, there may be employed a plurality of accumulators, such as atleast 2, such as 3-20, such as typically 6-12, which preferably storehydraulic medium at different pressure steps. In preferred embodiments,the float is driven a certain distance into the wave near a wave trough,and subsequently the float is allowed to move upwardly in the wave, butyet submerged in the wave, and at the wave crest the float is released,i.e. allowed to move out of the water. As described above, the energyreleased as the float is released at the wave crest is used to chargethe one or more hydraulic accumulators, at which energy is stored fordriving the float into the wave. Accordingly, the potential energyreleased as the float moves out of the wave near the wave crest is notlost. On the contrary, it is utilized for driving the float into thewave at the wave trough, whereby the total vertical distance traveled bythe float is increased. Consequently, the power output of a wave cycleis increased. It is estimated that, at a wave height of 1.5 m, thevertical distance traveled by the float may be increased fromapproximately 0.75 m to approximately 1.5 m, thus doubling the poweroutput. The energy utilized to drive the float into the wave at the wavetrough causes essentially no loss in the driving system, as the energyis provided by the release of the float at the wave crest.

In order to allow for accurate control of the system, each cylinder, orat least selected ones of the cylinders, may be provided with a sensorfor determining a position and/or rate of movement of the cylinder'spiston, the sensor being arranged to transmit a signal to a control unitof the cylinders and associated valves, so that the transmission ofenergy from the individual cylinders to the remaining parts of thehydraulic driving system is individually controllable in response to thesignal representing the individual cylinder's piston's position and/orrate of movement. Thus, the cylinders may be individually controllable,and a cylinder may be withdrawn from operation, e.g. for maintenance,while the remaining cylinders keep operating, so that the entire systemwill be essentially unaffected by the withdrawal of a single cylinder.The sensor is preferably also utilized to control the depressing of thefloat into the water, i.e. to control release of pressure of the batteryof accumulators as described above. The sensor may further be utilizedto control charging of the accumulators, i.e. to determine the passageof a wave crest. Moreover, the sensor is useful to control releasing ofthe float at a wave crest, i.e. to prevent a catapult-like shoot-out ofthe float. The sensor may also be used for monitoring the power outputof each individual actuator in the hydraulic driving system, so that thepower output of the individual actuators and the entire apparatus assuch may be optimized.

Whereas some prior art systems rely on submerged reference members forsupporting those means which convert sea wave power into useful power oron shore-supports, it has been found that wave energy is mostefficiently exploited on the open sea. Accordingly, the apparatus of theinvention preferably comprises a supporting structure which is fixed tothe sea floor. In a presently preferred embodiment, the supportingstructure is fixed to the sea floor by means of a suction anchor, oralternatively by a gravity foundation, or fixed to a rocky seabed withstuds. The supporting structure may advantageously comprise a trussstructure, with the suction anchor being arranged at a first nodal pointof the structure. At least one arm and preferably all arms of theapparatus are supported at second nodal points of the truss structure,most preferably at a summit of a triangular substructure of the trussstructure. The triangular substructure may define two vertices at thesea floor, with a means for attaching the structure to the sea floor ineach of the corners. Preferably, the means for attaching are at leastpartially embedded in the sea floor, e.g. under by gravity foundation ora suction anchor. As the means for attaching are arranged at the nodalpoints of the truss structure, vertical forces in the truss structurecaused by the buoyancy of the floats may efficiently be counteracted. Atruss structure as described above ensures a maximum degree of stabilityof the system while allowing for a low overall weight of the supportingstructure.

It has been found that one general problem in prior art systems is toprevent extreme impacts occurring during storms and hurricanes fromdamaging the floats, arms and other parts of the wave power apparatuses.Embodiments of the present invention therefore provide features whichmakes it possible for the wave power apparatus to withstand extreme seawave conditions. Such embodiment comprise a hydraulic lifting system forlifting the float out of the ocean and for locking the float in an upperposition above the ocean surface.

The hydraulic lifting system preferably comprises one or more pumps forpumping hydraulic medium into the cylinders for lifting them out of theocean.

Thanks to the hydraulic lifting system, the float may be withdrawn fromthe ocean and kept in a locked position above the ocean surface at theoccurrence of e.g. storm or prior to the occurrence of icing. Thus, theonly impact on the float when it is withdrawn from the ocean is theimpact of wind, the forces of which are significantly smaller than theforces of waves. In one embodiment, the arms may be lifted out of thewater by generating a hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic liftingsystem, which causes the arms to be displaced out of the ocean, and byappropriately shutting a valve, preferably by means of a conical lockingpin, so as to maintain the lifting pressure. The hydraulic liftingsystem may be controlled from a remote on-shore location, or by acontrol system which forms part of the wave power machine, and whichacts in response to a signal indicative of a stormy condition, e.g. to asignal from an electronic device for continuously determining thevelocity of wind. The control system may be programmed to withdraw thefloat and arm from the water at a predetermined wave height. Forexample, this wave height may be a certain fraction, e.g. 30%, of thelargest predicted wave referred to the operation site of the apparatus,the so-called “100-year wave”. At an ocean depth of 20 m, this height isapproximately 18 m, and the control system accordingly takes the floatand arm out of the ocean at a wave height of approximately 6 m. The waveheight may be determined by a mechanical, optical, electro magnetic oracoustical system, e.g. a pressure transducer system with a pressuretransducer arranged on the sea floor, an echo sound system arranged atthe floats, an echo sound system arranged on a fixed supportingstructure of the apparatus and pointing upwards towards the surface ofthe waves, or operating in air pointing downwards toward the watersurface, or a sensor system with light transmitting or light receivingmeans arranged on the floats and/or on the fixed supporting structure,such light being, e.g., laser light. Alternatively, there may beprovided a radar system at the structure. The pressure of a hydraulicmedium in the lifting system may be generated by a pump forming part ofthe hydraulic lifting system. Alternatively, the pressure may begenerated by releasing pressurised hydraulic medium from an appropriatehydraulic accumulator. The accumulator may e.g. be charged by ahydraulic driving system which, in one embodiment of the invention, iscomprised in the power conversion means. For example, the accumulatorfor delivering the hydraulic lifting pressure may be an accumulator, ora plurality of accumulators in a so-called accumulator battery, forforcing the float into the wave at a wave trough as described in detailbelow.

The hydraulic lifting system is preferably adapted to individually lifteach float out of the ocean. For example, the lifting system maycomprise a plurality of hydraulic circuits, each of which is associatedwith one of the arms, and each of which comprises valve and/or pumpmeans for pressurising the hydraulic circuit for lifting the arm andfloat out of the ocean. In one embodiment the hydraulic lifting systemcomprises fewer pumps than circuits, so that the or each pump isconnected to a plurality of circuits, each circuit with associatedvalves being designated to one arm. In preferred embodiments of theinvention, the power conversion means and the arms are arranged suchthat those arms, which are kept in the ocean, may deliver power to thepower conversion means, while one or more other arms are kept lifted outof the ocean. Embodiments incorporating the power conversion means of WO01/92644, which is hereby incorporated by reference, may allow forfree-wheeling, around a driving shaft of the power conversion means, ofarms which are lifted out of the ocean. Embodiments relying on hydraulicpower conversion means, in which movement of the arms generates pressurein a hydraulic driving system, may comprise means for taking out ofoperation those power conversion means, e.g. those hydraulic actuators,which are associated with an arm, which has been lifted out of theocean. In a presently preferred embodiment, an arm may be lifted out ofthe ocean and locked in an elevated position by the arm's actuator, e.g.a double-acting cylinder, which may be used to lift and lock the arm.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention also provide a solutionto the problem of providing a stable rotational support of the arm orarms, which is less vulnerable to horizontal force components. It hasbeen found that the structure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,382 is likely tobecome unstable due to horizontal force components generated by waves.More specifically, the bearings of the connecting rods are constitutedby simple pins, and any slight slack in such bearings might causeirreparable damage to the connecting rods and their support. Theapparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,382 is therefore unsuitable forinstallation at the open sea, i.e. at relatively large wave forces. Thestructure disclosed in WO 01/02644 also suffers from the disadvantagethat even the slightest slack in the one-way bearings which support therocker arms and which connect the rocker arm pipes and the force shaftmight damage the bearings. Moreover, the apparatus of WO 01/02644, inwhich a total of some 40 rocker arms are supported by one single forceshaft, requires an immensely strong force shaft which, due to itsdimensions required in order for it to be able to transmit the requiredpower, would be unfeasible due to its weight conferred by its largedimensions, such large dimensions being necessary due to the momentumtransmitted from the arms to the force shaft. Preferred embodiments ofthe apparatus according to the present invention provide an improvedsupport of the arms which makes the apparatus less vulnerable tohorizontal force components. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, theapparatus of the invention comprises a pair of pre-stressed andessentially slack-free bearings. The bearings are thus capable ofefficiently counteracting radial and axial forces and consequently towithstand horizontal force components conferred by waves. The term“slack-free bearing” should be understood to comprise any bearing, whichis slack-free in a horizontal and axial direction. For example, the pairof bearings may comprise two conical bearings with their conical facesbeing opposite to each other. In one embodiment, the bearings arepressure-lubricated.

In another embodiment, the bearing comprises an inner and an outer ringor cylinder, the inner ring being secured to a rotational shaft of thearm, and the outer ring being secured to a fixed support, the bearingfurther comprising a flexible material between the inner and the outerring. During operation, the inner ring rotates relative to the outerring, thereby twisting the flexible material. In order to adjust thestiffness of the flexible material, there may be provided at least onecavity or perforation in the material. The flexible material may, e.g.,comprise a spring member, such as a flat spring. By appropriatepositioning of the perforation(s) or by appropriate design of the springmember(s), the bearing support may be designed to have a largerforce-bearing capacity in one direction than in another direction.

The arm is preferably supported by the bearings at two mounting pointswhich are offset from a centre axis of the arm, the centre axis of thebearings being coincident with an axis of rotation of the arms. As eacharm is connected to and supported by individual bearings, a stablerotational support for the arms is achieved. In particular, as the twobearings are preferably arranged at a mutual distance along the axis ofrotation of the arm, an impact at the axis resulting from a horizontalforce component on the float may be counteracted.

It will, accordingly, be appreciated that the structure of the presentapparatus is more stable than the structure of prior art devices. As thepresent apparatus is primarily intended as an off-shore construction,stability is a major concern due to costs of maintenance at off-shoresites. Maintenance costs at off-shore sites are typically on average 10times higher than maintenance costs at on-shore sites.

According to a second aspect the present invention relates to the use ofa structure, which is permanently fixed to a sea floor or to ground as asupport for a wave power apparatus comprising a plurality of arms, eachof which is rotationally supported at one end by a shaft, and whereineach arm carries a float at its other end, which is opposite to thesupported end, so that a translational movement of the float caused by awave results in rotation of the arm around the shaft, the apparatuscomprising power conversion means for converting power transmitted fromthe wave to the arms into electric power, the plurality of arms beingarranged in a row such that a wave passing the row of arms causes thearms to successively pivot around the shaft, the arms being arranged atmutual distances, so that the passage of the wave causes the arms topivot with a mutual phase shift.

The wave power apparatus may be attached permanently or releasable tothe support structure. In one embodiment the support structure may stillbe used for the purpose for which it was originally erected, e.g. an oilrig may still be used for oil exploitation. In another embodiment thesupport structure may have been phased out in relation to its originalpurpose and instead of removing the structure, it may be used as asupport for a wave power apparatus.

The structure may comprises a breakwater, mole, pier, jetty, cliff or anoil rig.

The advantages mentioned in relation to the first aspect of theinvention also apply to the invention according to the second aspect ofthe invention.

According to a third aspect the present invention relates to a methodfor erecting a wave power apparatus at sea, the wave power apparatuscomprising a plurality of arms, each of which is rotationally supportedat one end by a shaft, and wherein each arm carries a float at its otherend, which is opposite to the supported end, so that a translationalmovement of the float caused by a wave results in rotation of the armaround the shaft, the apparatus comprising power conversion means forconverting power transmitted from the wave to the arms into electricpower, the plurality of arms being arranged in a row such that a wavepassing the row of arms causes the arms to successively pivot around theshaft, the arms being arranged at mutual distances, so that the passageof the wave causes the arms to pivot with a mutual phase shift, themethod comprising:

-   -   mounting the wave power apparatus to a support structure, which        is permanently fixed to the sea floor or to ground.

The wave power apparatus may be attached permanently or releasable tothe support structure. In one embodiment the support structure may stillbe used for the purpose for which it was originally erected, e.g. an oilrig may still be used for oil exploitation. In another embodiment thesupport structure may have been phased out in relation to its originalpurpose and instead of removing the structure, it may be used as asupport for a wave power apparatus.

The support structure may comprise a breakwater, mole, pier, jetty,cliff or an oil rig. The advantages mentioned in relation to the firstaspect of the invention also apply to the invention according to thethird aspect of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be further describedwith reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are cross-sectional illustrations of an embodiment of awave power apparatus according to the invention;

FIGS. 3-5 show three embodiments of a truss structure of an embodimentof a wave power apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a honeycomb structure of a float;

FIG. 7 illustrates a supporting structure for an arm of the apparatus ofFIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 8-13 show various bearing assemblies for an arm of the apparatus;

FIG. 14-17 show diagrams of a hydraulic driving system of an embodimentof an apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 18 shows a diagram of a hydraulic lifting system for lifting thefloats out of the ocean;

FIG. 19 illustrates a wave power apparatus with an array of floatsextending across two wave crests;

FIG. 20 shows hydraulic pressure as a function of time in a feed line ofthe hydraulic driving system of a prior art wave power apparatus and inan embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention,respectively;

FIG. 21 illustrates two different travel paths of a float across a wave,

FIG. 22 shows a diagram of a hydraulic driving system with accumulatorsfor forcing the floats into the waves at wave troughs;

FIG. 23 illustrates the stepwise accumulation of energy in a hydraulicstorage system;

FIGS. 24 and 25 are diagrammatic illustrations of the movement of wavesand floats;

FIGS. 26 and 27 disclose a wave power apparatus located on a breakwater.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The below description of the drawings discloses a variety of featuresand options comprised in various embodiments of the wave power apparatusaccording to the invention. The operating principles of the broadestaspect of the invention will be appreciated best from the description ofthe embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 14-20.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a cross-section of wave power apparatus 102comprising a truss structure 104 which may e.g. be of a so-called spacetruss structure. The truss structure, which is also illustrated in FIGS.3-5, comprises an essentially triangular lower part with first, secondand third force members 106,108,110, and an essentially rectangularupper part 111. The rectangular upper part may be used for accommodatinghydraulic and electric equipment, including the hydraulic driving andlifting system, and it may further be used as a as catwalk or footbridgefor maintenance personnel. As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, the rectangularupper part extends a distance perpendicular to the plane of FIGS. 1 and2, whereas there is provided a plurality of distinct lower triangularlower parts. The truss structure defines first, second, third, fourth,fifth and sixth nodal points 112,114,116,117,118 and 120. Preferably,the force members are essentially rigid, so that they may withstandtension and compression. The first and second nodal points 112,114 areprovided at the sea floor and are retained at the sea floor by means of,e.g., suction anchors 121 indicated in FIGS. 3-5. Alternatively thefirst and second nodal points 112,114 may be supported by a concretefoundation at the sea floor. Arms 122 carrying floats 124 arerotationally supported at or near the third and fourth nodal points 116,117. FIGS. 3-5 show a perspective view of the truss structure forsupporting a plurality of arms on either side of the structure. Itshould be understood that the truss structure of FIGS. 3-5 may have awider extent than actually depicted in FIGS. 3-5, so that it comprisese.g. twenty or thirty triangular sections, whereby an arm may extendaway from the truss structure at each of the nodal points 116,117. Aplurality of truss structures as those of FIGS. 3-5, such as three, sixor more truss structures, may be arranged in a star, V- or hexagonalarrangement in order to increase the number of arms and floats includedin an installation comprising the apparatus of the invention or aplurality of apparatuses according to the invention.

The third, fourth, fifth and sixth nodal points 116,117, 118,120 areprovided above the surface of the sea at a height sufficient to ensurethat they are also above the sea surface when waves are high understormy conditions. For example, the nodal points 116, 117, 118 and 120may be provided at 20 meters above the surface of the sea when the seais smooth. In order to transform the energy of the waves into hydraulicenergy, the wave power apparatus 102 comprises a plurality of arms 122,each of which at one end comprises a float 124 and at the opposite endis connected to a shaft 126. The arms are adapted to rotate around theshafts 126. Each arm 122 is attached to a hydraulic actuator, such as ahydraulic cylinder 128 comprising a piston 130. The hydraulic cylinder128 is pivotally connected to the arm in a first attachment point 132and to the truss structure 104 in a second attachment point 134. Thesecond attachment point is preferably located at a nodal point, i.e.along an edge portion of an essentially rectangular structure arrangedon top of the triangular main structure of the truss structure. Thefloats 124 move the arms up- and downwardly influenced by the movementof the waves. When the arms move upwardly and downwardly, the piston 130is moved, and thus the wave energy is transformed into hydraulic energywhich may be converted into useful electric energy as described below inconnection with FIGS. 14-18 and 22.

As shown in FIG. 2 the hydraulic cylinders 128 are adapted to lock thearms 122 in an elevated position wherein waves can not reach the arms122 and floats 124, the arms being drawn to their elevated positions bythe cylinders 128. It is thereby possible to protect the arms 122 andfloats 124 during a storm or when ambient temperatures near or below thefreezing point of the water of the ocean risk to cause formation of iceon the floats. The hydraulic cylinders 128 are connected to a hydrauliclifting system for locking the hydraulic cylinder in the elevatedposition, the hydraulic lifting system being discussed in further detailin connection with FIG. 18 below. The floats 124 may be pivotallyconnected to the arms 122. Accordingly, when the arms are elevatedduring a storm, the floats may be rotated to a position wherein they areessentially parallel to the wind direction. Thereby, the surface whichthe wind acts on is limited and thus the force acting on the floats 124is reduced and the torque transferred to the truss structure 104 via thearms 122 is reduced. Furthermore the floats are designed with anaerodynamic shape with rounded edges (not shown), so as to reduce thewind forces on the apparatus.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the truss structure 104 may include diagonalforce members 113, 115 (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) for providing afurther support at the nodal points 116, 117.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the truss structure is loaded with a weight actingdownwardly to reduce the upwards forces at the anchors 121. The weightis brought about by a longitudinally extending weight, such as a watertank 123 (FIG. 4), or by a plurality of distinct weights, such as watertanks 125 (FIG. 5).

FIG. 6 shows a structure of an essentially hollow float 124 comprising ahoneycomb structure 127, which supports the outer walls of the float.

FIG. 7 shows one of the arms 122 which is pivotally attached to a float124 and is adapted to rotate around a shaft 126. The arm is connected tothe shaft at first and second attachment points 136, 138 which areoffset from the centre axis 140 of the arm. The shaft 126 is rotatablysupported by a fixed support structure 142 comprising two bearings 144arranged to counteract radial and axial forces.

In order to provide an essentially maintenance-free bearing support forthe rotation of the arms 122, the present inventors have proposedbearings as those shown in FIGS. 8-13. The bearings of FIG. 8-13 may beincorporated as a bearing 144 in the bearing structure illustrated inFIG. 7 and are particularly well suited for supporting an shaft, therotational amplitude of which is 30 degrees or less during normaloperation, i.e. ±15 degrees or less, such as 20 degrees or less, i.e.±10 degrees or less. When the arm is to be pivoted to the securedposition of FIG. 2, the fixing of the outer ring 147 may be loosened, sothat a larger rotational amplitude is allowed, e.g. ±40 degrees.Traditional roller or ball bearings have a short life time at such smallrotational amplitudes, as their lubrication medium usually only fulfilsits purpose to the desired extent at continuous rotation at a higherrotational speed than the one conferred by the arms 122. The bearing ofFIG. 8 includes an inner ring or cylinder 145 and an outer ring orcylinder 147, between which there is provided a flexible substance 149,e.g. a rubber material. The inner ring 145 is secured to the rotatingshaft, and the outer ring 147 is secured to the stationary support ofthe shaft. Thanks to the elasticity of the flexible substance 149, theinner ring may rotate relative to the outer ring, so as to allow thesupported shaft to rotate with respect to its support. As the outer ring147 is supported by or fitted into a fixed structure, e.g. squeezefitted along its outer periphery, there is provided an axial and aradial support of the shaft. The stiffness of the flexible substance 149may be adjusted by providing cavities 151, such as bores orperforations, in the material. The maximum load supportable by thebearing may be increased by increasing the length of the bearing (i.e.transverse to the plane of FIG. 8). The number and dimensions of thecavities 151 may be selected to fit a particular purpose, e.g. tominimise notch sensitivity or to maximise the axial force to becounteracted by the bearing. A like bearing 344 is shown in FIG. 9,which has fewer cavities 151 to increase the force-bearing capacity ofthe bearing in one direction.

Similar wriggle bearings 346, 348 and 354 are shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and12, respectively. These bearings comprise inner and outer rings 145, 147with one or more flat springs being interposed between the rings. InFIG. 10, there is provided two flat springs 147, each of which forms theshape of the number 3. The arrows 345 and 347 indicate that theforce-bearing capacity is larger in the vertical direction (arrows 345)than in the horizontal direction (arrows 347). In the bearing 348 ofFIG. 11, there is provided one flat spring element 352, which defines aplurality of cavities 353. Arrows 349 and 350 indicate that theforce-bearing capacity of the bearing is larger in the vertical andhorizontal directions than in non-horizontal and non-vertical directions(arrows 350). Bearing 354 of FIG. 12 comprises two H-shaped flat springelements 362, each defining an outer and an inner portion 364 and 366 aswell as an interconnection portion 368. The stiffness of the bearing maybe chosen by adequate selection of the geometry of the spring elements362. For example, the interconnecting portion 368 may be formed as an S.Arrows 355 and 357 indicate that the force-bearing capacity is larger inthe vertical direction than in the horizontal direction.

The inner and outer rings 145, 147 of FIGS. 8-12 may be made from steelor from carbon fibre materials. The flat springs 342, 352 and 362 maylikewise be made from steel or carbon fibre materials.

The bearing principles of FIGS. 8-12 may also be used for providing asupport for the hydraulic cylinders 128.

FIG. 13 shows a bearing support for an arm 122, the support comprisingtwo flat springs 372 and 374. The first flat spring 372 increases thetorsion stiffness as well as the transverse stiffness of the bearing.The flat springs may be made from carbon fibre materials.

In the hydraulic diagram of FIG. 14, there is shown a plurality ofcylinders 128 with respective pistons 130 which are upwardly anddownwardly movable as the arms 122 and floats 124 move in the waves, cf.the above description of FIG. 1. Whereas there are shown three cylindersin the diagram of FIG. 14, it should be understood that the apparatusaccording to the invention typically comprises a larger number ofcylinders, e.g. 60 cylinders. The cylinders 128 are shown asdouble-acting cylinders connected at their upper ends to feedingconduits 176 for a hydraulic medium of the system. In each feedingconduit 176 there is provided a pressure valve 178. The feeding conduits176 merge into a common main conduit 180, which feeds into a hydraulicmotor 182 with variable volume displacement per revolution. In thefeeding conduits 176 and common main conduit 180, there is maintained anoperating pressure p₀. The pressure p₀ may advantageously also be thethreshold pressure of valve 178, at which the valve switches between itsopen and closed state. The hydraulic motor drives an electric generator184, and at the exit of the hydraulic motor, the hydraulic medium is ledto a reservoir 186. From the reservoir 186, the hydraulic medium flowsback to the cylinders 128 via a common return conduit 188 and branchreturn conduits 190.

In each of the cylinders 128, the piston 130 divides the cylinder inupper and lower chambers 192, 194 which are interconnected via conduits196 and 198. In each of the conduits 196 there is provided a two-wayvalve 200, and in parallel thereto there is provided, in conduit 198, apressure valve 202 and a series flow control valve 204. Finally, eachcylinder is provided with a control element 206 for determining theposition and/or rate of movement of the piston 130 of the cylinder 128.

When the two-way valve 200 is open, the piston 130 may move freely whenthe arms 122 (see FIG. 1) move in the waves. When the control element206 determines a certain position and/or rate of movement of the piston130, a control signal is passed to the valve 200 causing the valve 200to shut. As the pressure valve 178 is shut, the piston 130 will belocked while the wave continues to rise until the buoyancy of the floatis large enough to overcome the operating pressure p₀ in the feeding andmain conduits 176,180, so as to open the pressure valve 178. It willthus be understood that the float 124 (see FIG. 1) is at least partiallysubmerged in the wave when the valve 178 opens (cf. also the belowdiscussion of FIG. 21). Once the pressure valve 178 has opened, thehydraulic medium is fed to the motor 182. When the float passes the wavecrest, the float is still submerged, but the pressure in the upper part192 of the cylinder 128 drops, and pressure valve 178 shuts.Subsequently, the two-way valve 200 opens, and hydraulic medium isdisplaced from the lower cylinder part 194 to the upper cylinder part192, as the float moves down the wave from the wave crest to the wavetrough.

It will be appreciated that, due to the large number of cylinders 128,it is at all times ensured that at least two of them, and preferablyseveral, deliver a flow of hydraulic medium to the motor 182. Thereby,an even power output from the generator 184 may be ensured, preferablywithout any need for frequency converters.

The above description of FIG. 14 also applies to the FIG. 15, however inthe embodiment of FIG. 15 there is provided a plurality of hydraulicmotors 182, 208, 210 are provided. Each of the hydraulic motors 182,208, 210 is connected to respective electric generators 184, 212, 214.In the embodiment of FIG. 15, only three hydraulic motors and electricgenerators are provided, but in other embodiments the wave powerapparatus comprises a higher number of motors and generators. Forexample 5, 10 or 20 motors and generators may be provided. The capacityof the hydraulic motors and their corresponding electric generators maybe chosen so as to make it possible generate different levels of energy.In one example, the three generators may be able to produce 0.5 MW, 0.5MW and 2 MW, respectively. Thus, in order to produce 1 MW, the hydraulicmotor of the two 0.5 MW generators may be connected to the common mainconduit 180, whereas the third generator should be disconnected from themain conduit 180. At sites where the wave energy is substantiallyconstant over time, the capacity of the generators and theircorresponding hydraulic motors may each be chosen to be at the highestpossible level in order to reduce the total number of hydraulic motorsand generators. At sites at high fluctuation of the wave height and wavefrequency, the capacity of the generators may be chosen from a binaryprinciple e.g. 1 MW, 2 MW and 4 MW. By choosing the generators from abinary principle it is possible to couple said generators in and out inusing the below pattern so as optimise the utilisation of the waveenergy.

Generator 1 Generator 2 Generator 3 (1 MW) (2 MW) (4 MW) Total output[MW] On Off Off 1 Off On Off 2 On On Off 3 Off Off On 4 On Off On 5 OffOn On 6 On On On 7

The system of FIG. 16 is similar to the system of FIG. 15, however inthe system of FIG. 16 there is only provided one single electricgenerator 184, which is driven by the hydraulic motors 182, 208 and 210via a gearbox 185. The hydraulic motors may e.g. drive a toothed rim ofa planet gear. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 17, the hydraulic motors182, 208 and 210 may drive one common generator 184 via a common,through-going shaft 187.

FIG. 18 illustrates a hydraulic lifting system for lifting the floats124 out of the ocean and for keeping them in an elevated position, inwhich the waves cannot reach the floats. FIG. 18 also includes ahydraulic driving system similar to the driving system described abovein connection with FIGS. 14-17. To the extent that the same or similarelements are incorporated in the driving system depicted in FIG. 18 asthose depicted in FIGS. 14-17, the reference numerals of FIG. 6 are usedin FIG. 8, and reference is made to the above description of FIGS. 14-17for a description of such elements and their functionality. Thehydraulic lifting system of FIG. 18 is adapted to individually lift oneor more floats 124 out of the water and to decouple the cylinders of thelifted floats from hydraulic driving system. The system of FIG. 18includes, in addition to the common return conduit 188, a conduit 266connecting the reservoir 186 to a pump 268 driven by a motor 270.Conduit 272 connects the downstream side of the pump 268 to a number ofone-way valves 274, the number of one-way valves being equal to thenumber of floats and cylinders 128. Conduits 276 connect respectivedownstream sides of the valves 274 to respective two-way valves 278 andone-way valves 280, downstream of which the conduits 276 merge into onecommon conduit 282. The conduits 276 communicate with the lower cylinderchambers 194 and conduits 198 via conduits 284. Further, the conduits276 communicate with the upper cylinder chambers 192 and feedingconduits 176 via the conduits 196. Finally, two-way valves 286 areprovided in the branch return pipes 190, and two-way valves 288 areprovided in conduits 198.

When an arm is to be lifted out of the water, valve 278, valve 286 andvalve 288 shut. Valve 274 and 280 open, and the pump 268 may forcehydraulic medium into the lower cylinder chamber 194, and the armassociated to the cylinder in question is elevated. Hydraulic medium inthe upper cylinder chamber 192 is conducted to the reservoir 186 viavalve 280. The control element 206 detects that the arm and with it thepiston 130 has reached its desired position, e.g. its uppermostposition, and a signal is passed to valves 274 and 280 causing them toshut. The piston 130 is consequently locked, and the arm is secured in aposition, in which the float 124 is lifted out of the water. The arm 122may be further supported by a pawl (not shown) engaging the arm.

FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a plurality of floats 124and 164 which are coupled to a hydraulic driving system via cylinders asdescribed above in connection with FIGS. 14-18. In FIG. 19, those floatswhich are located at wave crests 146,148 are referred to by referencenumeral 164, whereas all other floats are referred to by referencenumeral 124. There is, however, no structural difference between thefloats 124 and the floats 164. First, second and third wave crests146,148,150 are indicated by double lines in FIG. 19, and first andsecond wave troughs 152,154 are indicated by single lines in the figure.The direction of movement of the wave fronts is indicated by a firstarrow 156, the wave length being indicated by a second arrow 158 and therising and falling parts of the waves are indicated by third and fourtharrows 160,162, respectively. As indicated in FIG. 19, those floats 164,which are at the wave crests 146 and 148 have thus just completed theirupwards movement caused by the waves. Those floats 124 which are betweenthe first wave crest 146 and the first wave trough 152 are on their wayupward in the wave, whereas those floats which are between the secondwave crest 148 and the first wave trough 152 are moving down along adownstream side of the wave. As the array of floats 124, 164 spans overa full wave length, a plurality of floats is on their way upwards in awave at any moment, whereby it is ensured that a plurality of floatsdeliver a power contribute to the hydraulic driving system at any time.As described above with reference to FIGS. 14-17, each of the floatsactuates a hydraulic cylinder, and hydraulic pressure is created in themain conduit 180 (cf. FIGS. 14-17). As a plurality of the floats aremoving upwards at the same time, a plurality of hydraulic cylindersprovide hydraulic pressure simultaneously. Accordingly, thanks to theprovision of the common main conduit 180 connected to a plurality ofcylinders with respective floats and thanks to the extent of the arrayof floats over at least a full wave length, the pressure fluctuations inthe common main conduit 180 and thus the pressure fluctuations at theinput to the hydraulic motor 182 or motors 182, 208, 210 may be keptlow. As the hydraulic motors 182, 208 and 210 are motors with variabledisplacement per turn, the rpm of the motors may be kept essentiallyconstant. This in turn confers the effect that the frequency of ACcurrent generated by the generator 184 or generators 184, 212 and 214 isessentially constant, whereby it is achieved that, in preferredembodiments of the invention, AC current may be generated without theneed for frequency converters.

In FIG. 19, the wave direction defines an angle θ with respect to therow of floats. The wave direction is parallel to the row of floats whenθ=0°. It will be understood that the larger the angle θ is to 0° thelonger must be the row of floats in order to ensure that at any givenmoment at least one float is moved upwards by a wave to deliver apressure contribute in the common main conduit 180 (cf. FIGS. 14-17) ofthe hydraulic driving system.

In designing the system the typical wave length and directions of thelocation should be taken into account in order to ensure a substantiallyconstant hydraulic pressure in the system. In preferred embodiments ofthe invention, the relationship between the wave direction (angle θ) andthe length of the wave power apparatus, i.e. the length spanned by thefloats 124, 164, may be determined by the following formula:

${{Length}\mspace{14mu}{of}\mspace{14mu}{wave}\mspace{14mu}{power}\mspace{14mu}{apparatus}} \geq \frac{wavelength}{\cos(\theta)}$

FIG. 20 shows the hydraulic pressure 242 in the common main conduit 180(cf. FIGS. 14-17) as a function of time 240. The first curve 244 showsthe hydraulic pressure in a feed line of a typical prior art wave powerapparatus with hydraulic cylinders feeding one accumulator with ahydraulic motor. As indicated in FIG. 20, the hydraulic pressurefluctuates with a wave period 246. The hydraulic pressure 248 in anembodiment of the wave power apparatus of the present inventioncomprising a plurality of arms, floats and cylinders and no accumulatorsfluctuates with a lower amplitude.

FIG. 21 illustrates two different travel paths of a float across a wavewhich moves in the direction of arrow 171. The upper part of FIG. 21illustrates a flow path, at which no measures are taken to increase thevertical travel distance the float 124 when the float is passed by awave. The lower part of FIG. 21 illustrates a flow path, at which thevertical travel distance of the float is increased by actively forcingthe float 124 into the water at the wave trough 152.

In the upper part of FIG. 21, at position 172 a, the float 124 is movingdownwards with the wave until the float reaches the wave trough 152 atposition 172 b. At this point the hydraulic cylinder is locked aspressure valve 178 shuts (cf. FIGS. 14-17), two-way valve 200 being alsoshut, and accordingly the float moves horizontally into the wave toposition 172 d via position 172 c. As the wave rises, pressure builds upin the upper chamber 192 of the cylinder 128 and in the conduit upstreamof the pressure valve 178 (cf. 14-17). At position 172 d, the pressureis sufficient to overcome the threshold pressure of pressure valve 178,which opens, whereby the float 124 is allowed to move upwards in thewave to position 172 f via position 172 e. During this movement, thehydraulic cylinder 128 of the float 124 feeds hydraulic medium into thecommon hydraulic conduit 180, whereby a power contribute is delivered tothe hydraulic motor 182 or motors 182, 208, 210. At position 172 f, whenthe passing wave is about to descend, the pressure in the feedingconduit 176 drops below the shut-off threshold of pressure valve 178,which shuts. As soon as the pressure valve 178 shuts and two-way valve200 opens, the float 124 is uncoupled from the common hydraulic conduit180 and the buoyancy of the float 124 causes it to move essentiallyvertically out of the water to position 172 g. As the wave descends, thefloat 124 moves downwards with the wave to position 172 h, and the floatstarts a new cycle in the next wave. The float 124 travels a verticaldistance 168. From the above description of FIG. 21, it will beappreciated that the power contribute of each individual float 124 andassociated cylinder 128 to the hydraulic driving system is conferredduring the vertical movement of float.

In order to increase the power output of the wave power apparatus it isthus desirable to increase the vertical travel distance of the float124. The lower part of FIG. 21 illustrates an alternative travel path ofthe float 124 across the wave, in which measures are taken to increasethe vertical distance traveled by the float 124. At position 174 a, thefloat 124 is descending at the downstream side of a wave. At position174 b, the float 124 has reached the wave trough 152. At this point, thefloat is forced downwards under the water to position 174 c, andpressure valve 178 and two-way valve 200 shut (cf. FIGS. 14-17). As thepressure upstream of the pressure valve 178 exceeds the thresholdshut-off pressure of the pressure valve 178, the valve 178 opens, andthe float 124 moves to position 174 g via 174 d, 174 e and 174 f. Atposition 174 f, pressure valve 178 shuts and two-way valve 202 opens,and the buoyancy of the float 124 causes the float to move essentiallyvertically out of the water to position 174 h, from which the floatdescends on the downstream side of the wave to position 174 i, and theabove cycle is repeated. Thanks to the forcing into the water of thefloat at the wave crest 152, i.e. from position 174 b to position 174 c,the vertical distance 170 traveled by the float is significantly largerthan the vertical distance 168 traveled in embodiments, in which thefloat is not forced down into the wave at or near a wave trough, cf. theupper part of FIG. 21. Thus, the power contribute of the cylinder 128 ofa float 124 is also significantly larger in respect of the path of thelower part of FIG. 21 than in respect of the path of the upper part ofFIG. 21.

Evidently, a net gain in terms of overall power output of the wave powerapparatus arises only if the power utilized for forcing the float 124into the wave at the wave trough 152 is not deducted from the poweroutput of the apparatus. FIG. 22 shows a modified embodiment of thehydraulic driving system of FIG. 14, which may accumulate potentialenergy released as a float 124 moves vertically out of a wave at or neara wave crest, i.e. from position 174 g to position 174 h in the lowerpart of FIG. 21. This energy, which is lost in the embodiments of FIGS.14-17, is used to force the float 124 into the wave.

More specifically, FIG. 22 shows a hydraulic diagram with first, second,third and fourth accumulators 216, 218,220,222 for forcing the floatsdown under the waves at wave troughs. In addition to the system of FIG.14, the hydraulic system of FIG. 22 comprises the hydraulic accumulators216,218,220,222, which are arranged at one end of hydraulic accumulatorconduits 224,226,228,230, which are connected to the feeding conduits176 via first, second, third and fourth two-way valves 232,234,236,238.Once a float has passed a wave crest, the pressure valve 178 shuts asdescribed above in connection with FIG. 14, and the float 124 moves outof the wave from its submerged position in the wave. The hydraulicmedium, which is thereby displaced from the upper part 192 of thecylinder, is conducted to the accumulators 216,218,220,222 via thevalves 232,234,236,238 and the accumulator conduits 224,226,228,230. Inone embodiment, the valves 232,234,236,238 are arranged and controlledsuch that the first valve 232 shuts at a first pressure p1, p1 beinglower than the operating pressure p0 in the main conduit 180. The secondvalve 234 opens at the first pressure p1 and shuts again at a lower,second pressure p2. The third valve 236 opens at the second pressure p2and shuts again at a lower, third pressure p3. The fourth valve 238opens at the third pressure p3 and shuts again at a lower, fourthpressure p4. At a yet lower pressure p5, the two-way valve 200 opens.

At a wave trough, the valve 200 shuts, the fourth two-way valve 238opens, and the pressure in the fourth accumulator 222 is utilized toforce the float under the water. As the fourth two-way valve 238 shuts,the third two-way valve 236 opens, and the pressure in the thirdaccumulator 220 is utilized to force the float further under the water.Hereafter the third two-way valve 236 shuts, and the second two-wayvalve 234 opens, and the pressure in the second accumulator 218 isutilized to force the float even further under the water. Subsequently,the second two-way valve 234 shuts, and the first two-way valve 232opens such that the pressure in the first accumulator 216 is used toforce the float further under the surface of the water. Finally, thefirst two-way valve 232 shuts, and the pressure valve 178 opens.

It will thus be appreciated that at least a portion of the potentialenergy released as the float 124 moves vertically out of the wave fromposition 174 g to position 174 h (cf. the lower part of FIG. 21) may beutilized for forcing the float into the water at a wave trough 152 inorder to increase the power output of the wave power apparatus.Accordingly, the forcing down of a float by in the manner describedabove may be regarded as a way of utilizing the potential energyreleased at wave crests, which energy would otherwise be lost.

There may be provided more than four accumulators 216, 218, 220 and 222.For example, there may be provided six, eight, ten, twelve, twenty oreven more accumulators.

FIG. 23 generally shows a graphical representation of the accumulationof energy in N steps, i.e. in N accumulators corresponding to theaccumulators 216, 218, 220 and 222 of FIG. 22. The first axis indicatesthe vertical displacement d₀ 250 of the float in water, and the secondaxis indicates the force F₀ 252. The area of the hatched trianglecovering half of the diagram of FIG. 23 indicates the ideal maximalenergy, which is available. However, in order to utilize this energy,the system should comprise an infinitive number of steps, i.e. aninfinite number of accumulators. In other words, the larger the pressuredifference is between two steps, the larger is the loss of energy foreach step. In FIG. 23, the energy loss is indicated by hatched triangles254. Each triangle indicates that the float is displaced a verticaldistance Δd. The area of each of the small triangles is half heighttimes length. Thus, the loss at each step may be determined by thefollowing formula:

$A_{{loss}\mspace{14mu}{per}\mspace{14mu}{step}} = {{{\frac{1}{2} \cdot ( {{\frac{F_{0}}{d_{0}} \cdot \Delta}\; d} ) \cdot \Delta}\; d} = \frac{F_{0}\Delta\; d^{2}}{2d_{0}}}$Wherein

-   -   F₀ is the excursion force when the float is forced the distance        d₀ under the water,    -   Δd=d₀/N, and    -   N is the number of steps.

The total loss of energy i.e. the sum of the small triangles, is definedby the following formula:

${\sum A_{{loss}\mspace{14mu}{per}\mspace{14mu}{step}}} = {{\frac{1}{2} \cdot ( \frac{F_{0}}{d_{0}} ) \cdot ( \frac{d_{0}}{N} ) \cdot ( \frac{d_{0}}{N} ) \cdot N} = \frac{F_{0}d_{0}}{2N}}$

Accordingly, the larger the number of step N, the smaller is the totalloss of energy.

The effect of the accumulators discussed above in connection with FIGS.22 and 23 is shown in FIG. 24, in which curve 256 shows the movement ofthe float in the wave as a function of time, and curve 258 shows theshape of a wave as a function of time. There is a partial overlap of thecurves 256 and 258 at the downstream, i.e. descending, side of a wave.At 260, two-way valve 200 shuts (cf. FIG. 22) while pressure valve 178is also shut, and the float is locked. At 262, the float moves out ofthe wave and delivers energy to the accumulators 216,218,220 and 222. InFIG. 25, curve 264 shows the actual depression of the float in the wave.

FIGS. 26-27 shows a wave power apparatus 302 supported by an existingstructure 303 in the form of a breakwater. The wave power apparatus 302comprises a truss structure 304 comprising force members 306 which arejoint together in a summit 308. In the FIGS. 26 and 27 the trussstructure comprises four force members, but in other embodiments thestructure may comprise only three force members. The wave powerapparatus comprises a plurality of arms 322, which have an A-shapedstructure. Alternatively, the arms may be V-shaped. The arms arepivotally connected to the truss structure by means of a rotationalsupport in the form of bearings 344. The bearings 344 allow the arms torotate up and down as indicated by arrow 305 between an angle of −45° inrelation to horizontal i.e. below horizontal, and +20° in relation tohorizontal, i.e. above horizontal. By allowing the arms to rotate oversuch a large angle the apparatus may be able to operate under a tidalvariation of the water level of up to 6 meters or more depending on thelength of the arms.

In FIGS. 26-27 the arms are non-rotationally connected to a float 324which has a convex lower surface 325. An advantage of the convex surfaceis that for any rotational position of the arm the waterline of thefloat remains the same. A hydraulic cylinder 328 comprising a piston 330interconnects the arm 322 and the summit 308 of the truss structure. Thehydraulic cylinder is used for the producing hydraulic energy asdisclosed in the aforementioned.

In order to protect the arms during a storm the arms are rotated to thehighest position i.e. +20° in relation to horizontal such that wavescannot reach the arms.

The distance 307 between the wave power apparatuses may be between a fewmeters up to 2000 meters. Advantageously, the arms are distributed overa distance corresponding to at least a wave length such that thevariations in the produced energy may be minimised as described above inrelation to FIGS. 19 and 20.

1. An installation comprising a wave power apparatus comprising: aplurality of arms, each of which is rotationally supported at one end bya shaft, and wherein each arm carries a float at its other end, which isopposite to the supported end, so that a translational movement of thefloat caused by a wave results in rotation of the arm around the shaft;and a power converter configured to convert power transmitted from thewave to the arms into electric power, the plurality of arms beingarranged in a row such that a wave passing the row of arms causes thearms to successively pivot around the shaft, the arms being arranged atmutual distances, so that the passage of the wave causes the arms topivot with a mutual phase shift, and wherein the arms and the powerconverter are supported by a support structure, which is permanentlyfixed to the sea floor or to ground, wherein each arm extends in alongitudinal direction, and wherein the support structure extends in adirection transversely to said longitudinal direction, wherein: thesupport structure comprises a breakwater, mole, pier, jetty, cliff, oran oil rig; each arm is individually supported by the breakwater, mole,pier, jetty, cliff, or oil rig; the arms are arranged at mutualdistances along the breakwater, mole, pier, jetty, cliff, or oil rig;the power converter comprises a hydraulic driving system with ahydraulically driven motor; each arm is connected to the hydraulicdriving system by at least one double-acting cylinder which causes ahydraulic medium of the hydraulic driving system to be displaced intothe motor, the actuators being arranged to displace the hydraulic mediumto the motor via hydraulic conduits; and the double-acting cylinderforms part of a hydraulic lifting system, so that the cylinder iscontrollable to lift the float out of the ocean.
 2. The installationaccording to claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a portionabove the sea surface, and wherein each arm is supported by that portionof the support structure, which is above the sea surface.
 3. Theinstallation according to claim 1, wherein said shaft forms part of abearing, and wherein each arm is supported by at least one bearing,which is secured to the support structure.
 4. The installation accordingto claim 1, wherein each arm is supported by a truss structure, which issecured to the support structure.
 5. The installation according to claim1, wherein each arm extends longitudinally away from the supportstructure, so that each arm is at least pivotable to a horizontalposition.
 6. The installation according to claim 1, wherein therotational support of each arm allows an angular rotation of the arm toat least −30° in relation to horizontal.
 7. The installation accordingto claim 6, wherein the rotational support of each arm allows an angularrotation of the arm to at least −45° in relation to horizontal.
 8. Theinstallation according to claim 1, wherein the rotational support ofeach arm allows an angular rotation of the arm to at least +10° inrelation to horizontal.
 9. The installation according to claim 1,wherein the rotational support of each arm allows an angular rotation ofthe arm to at least +20° in relation to horizontal.
 10. The installationaccording to claim 1, wherein the row of arms is oriented such withrespect to the wave heading that the row forms an angle of within +/−60°with respect to the heading.
 11. The installation according to claim 1,wherein each of the arms intermittently transmits power to the powerconversion means when a wave passes the float of the arm, the arms andfloats being arranged with such mutual distances that, at all times, atleast two arms and floats simultaneously deliver a power contribute tothe power conversion means.
 12. The installation according to claim 1,wherein the hydraulic driving system comprises at least one hydraulicaccumulator for intermittently storing energy in the hydraulic drivingsystem, and wherein the hydraulic driving system is controllable torelease the energy stored in the accumulator, when a float is passed bya wave trough, so as to force the float carried by the arm into thewave.
 13. The installation according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulicmedium is fed to the hydraulic accumulator via the common hydraulicconduits.
 14. The installation according to claim 1, wherein eachcylinder is provided with a sensor for determining a position and/orrate of movement of the cylinder's piston, the sensor being arranged totransmit a signal to a control unit of the cylinders and associatedvalves, so that the transmission of energy from the individual cylindersto the remaining parts of the hydraulic driving system are individuallycontrollable in response to the signal representing the individualcylinder's piston's position and/or rate of movement.
 15. Theinstallation according to claim 1, further comprising a hydrauliclifting system for lifting the float out of the ocean and for lockingthe float in an upper position above the ocean surface.
 16. A method forerecting a wave power apparatus at sea, the wave power apparatuscomprising a plurality of arms, each of which is rotationally supportedat one end by a shaft, and wherein each arm carries a float at its otherend, which is opposite to the supported end, so that a translationalmovement of the float caused by a wave results in rotation of the armaround the shaft, the apparatus comprising a power converter configuredto convert power transmitted from the wave to the arms into electricpower, the plurality of arms being arranged in a row such that a wavepassing the row of arms causes the arms to successively pivot around theshaft, the arms being arranged at mutual distances, so that the passageof the wave causes the arms to pivot with a mutual phase shift, andwherein the power converter comprises a hydraulic driving system with ahydraulically driven motor; each arm is connected to the hydraulicdriving system by at least one double-acting cylinder which causes ahydraulic medium of the hydraulic driving system to be displaced intothe motor, the actuators being arranged to displace the hydraulic mediumto the motor via hydraulic conduits; and the double-acting cylinderforms part of a hydraulic lifting system, so that the cylinder iscontrollable to lift the float out of the ocean; the method comprising:mounting the wave power apparatus to a support structure, which ispermanently fixed to the sea floor or to ground, the support structurecomprising a breakwater, mole, pier, jetty, cliff, or an oil rig, eacharm extending in a longitudinal direction, and the support structureextending in a direction transversely to said longitudinal direction,the step of mounting including: arranging each arm to be individuallysupported by the breakwater, mole, pier, jetty, cliff, or oil rig, andarranging the arms at mutual distances along the breakwater, mole, pier,jetty, cliff, or oil rig.
 17. The method according to claim 16, whereinthe support structure includes a portion above the sea surface, andwherein each arm is supported by that portion of the support structure,which is above the sea surface.
 18. The method according to claim 16,wherein said shaft forms part of a bearing, and wherein each arm issupported by at least one bearing, which is secured to the supportstructure.
 19. The method according to claim 16, wherein each arm issupported by a truss structure, which is secured to the supportstructure.
 20. The method according to claim 16, wherein each armextends longitudinally away from the support structure, so that each armis at least pivotable to a horizontal position.